Big Buildings Hurt the Climate. New York City Hopes to Change That.

By District Energy posted 04-18-2019 17:06

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William Neuman, The New York Times

Summary

To fight climate change, the city is forcing the buildings, like the Empire State Building and Trump Tower, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

New York City is about to embark on an ambitious plan to fight climate change that would force thousands of large buildings, like the Empire State Building and Trump Tower, to sharply reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

The legislation, expected to be passed by the City Council on Thursday, would set emission caps for many different types of buildings, with the goal of achieving a 40 percent overall reduction of emissions by 2030. Buildings that do not meet the caps could face steep fines.

The effort comes as New York, among other states, has undertaken a number of initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, and as the country debates the merits and necessity of the Green New Deal, the congressional proposal to tackle climate change and create new high-paying jobs in clean energy industries.